I am not sure if I mentioned this idea before. I probably mentioned it to other people, but never wrote it out in detail. Now I haven't seen a lot of the Ice Age movies. The only one I've seen fully is the first film. I know of the plot details for the other films, but frankly from what I have seen, the other films have become way too out there in terms of plot. Plus where is Roshan? I mean it's like humans no longer exist in the franchise. Well save for that special where they met Santa, but that brings the bigger question how Christmas could exist during the Ice Age? Then again, that didn't stop the Flinstones from celebrating Christmas.

Well onto my idea. Now we all know Manny's backstory, about how his wife and child (I'm going to assume it was a son) were killed by humans, but eventually, he found new love with Ellie and had a daughter named Peaches. But what if Manny's son wasn't dead? Now let's say things played out exactly how they went before? Manny's family is attacked by humans and his wife is killed. Now during the onslaught his son goes missing and when the chaos is over, Manny can't find his son and presumes he is dead. However, his son survives and ends up wandering around searching for his father. This leads to a sad moment as we have a presumably orphaned child wandering trying to find a home. He eventually meets an adult female mammoth. Now this mammoth doesn't want a child following her. She doesn't hate kids, but she doesn't want the responsibility of dealing with one, but she isn't too cold-hearted to leave a child on their own.

She promises to help him find a new home, but after trial and error, she winds up realizing he was meant to find her. So she basically adopts him. He doesn't call her "Mom" or anything, but they definitely have a mother and son like relationship, so much to the point she gives him a nickname like "Kid" or something. The pair travel together becoming their own "herd" so to speak, and the pair are very happy together. Yet, Manny's son still has hope his father is still alive and hopes to see him again. Then one day while traveling, that very thing happens. However, at this point, Manny has had Peaches with Ellie, so not only does Manny's son learn that his father is still alive, but that he started a new family.

I imagine this leads to an argument. Manny tries to explain to his son, that he thought he was honestly dead, while in turn his son asks how long he looked before he gave up? Manny can't answer so for a moment the relationship between father and son is strained, and the calf who is probably not a calf anymore starts to resent the new family his father has built. However, his adoptive mother talks some sense into him, and explains that Manny technically didn't abandon him, it's just a horrible thing happened and circumstances forces them apart, and if anything his father cleary tried to live his life and move on, but that doesn't mean he abandoned him. Thinking on it, Manny's son goes to talk to his father and the pair patch things up, and Manny makes it clear that even though he started a new family, he didn't forget his old one. And Manny's son realizes that he too moved on and lived his life.

Now I don't imagine Manny's son and his adoptive mother join the "Herd" but I could see them occasionally crossing paths, and they attend Peache's wedding. Now speaking about his relationship with Peaches, I could see him bonding and becoming protective of his little half-sister. I haven't decided if he too finds a mate and child, but I could easily come up with one.

So, does everyone like the idea?